BRANCH MEETING
Tuesday 16th December 2008
Council Chamber, Civic Centre - 7pm
Agenda:
Tranformation
Job cuts
Single Status
Tuesday, 9 December 2008
Tuesday, 4 November 2008
PAY LATEST
The NJC Trade Union Side met on Monday, 3 November 2008 and unanimously agreed the following proposed Terms of Reference for the arbitration process over NJC pay fro 2008-9.
“The Arbitrator is asked to consider the arguments put forward by both sides and make an award to resolve the 2008/9 pay dispute.
All parties accept the arbitrator’s decision is final. In particular, this means:
a) No further industrial action will take place during the arbitration process or following the Arbitrator’s decision, and
b) Any award will be implemented in full without delay”
The Employers’ Side are also considering this form of words and we hope to hear confirmation from them by the end of this week.
The arbitration process will be conducted by a panel of three arbitrators. The names are yet to be provided to both sides by ACAS and agreed. The process will involve both Sides making detailed written submissions to the Arbitration Panel. The exact timings are being established, but it is envisaged this will be done by the last week of November. This will be followed by an oral hearing, probably in early December.
Review of the Green Book
The branch consultation was very clear that branches want the terms and conditions issues separated from the 2009-10 pay claim. This view was supported by the other two NJC trade unions. There have been no further discussions with the Employers on the review since we last updated you in Newsletter 20 in September.
The NJC Trade Union Side met on Monday, 3 November 2008 and unanimously agreed the following proposed Terms of Reference for the arbitration process over NJC pay fro 2008-9.
“The Arbitrator is asked to consider the arguments put forward by both sides and make an award to resolve the 2008/9 pay dispute.
All parties accept the arbitrator’s decision is final. In particular, this means:
a) No further industrial action will take place during the arbitration process or following the Arbitrator’s decision, and
b) Any award will be implemented in full without delay”
The Employers’ Side are also considering this form of words and we hope to hear confirmation from them by the end of this week.
The arbitration process will be conducted by a panel of three arbitrators. The names are yet to be provided to both sides by ACAS and agreed. The process will involve both Sides making detailed written submissions to the Arbitration Panel. The exact timings are being established, but it is envisaged this will be done by the last week of November. This will be followed by an oral hearing, probably in early December.
Review of the Green Book
The branch consultation was very clear that branches want the terms and conditions issues separated from the 2009-10 pay claim. This view was supported by the other two NJC trade unions. There have been no further discussions with the Employers on the review since we last updated you in Newsletter 20 in September.
Thursday, 23 October 2008
PAY DISPUTE - EMPLOYER AGREES TO PAY "ON ACCOUNT"
The employers and the NJC have agreed to UNISON's request that the 2008-9 pay offer will be paid "on account" pending the outcome of binding arbitration of the dispute via ACAS. This means an interim award of 2.45% will be paid before christmas - backdated to April 1st. Click here for more details.
The employers and the NJC have agreed to UNISON's request that the 2008-9 pay offer will be paid "on account" pending the outcome of binding arbitration of the dispute via ACAS. This means an interim award of 2.45% will be paid before christmas - backdated to April 1st. Click here for more details.
Thursday, 2 October 2008
NJC COMMITTEE AGREED THE WAY FORWARD ON PAY
UNISON’s NJC Committee met on 18 September to review progress in the
negotiations which have followed the two days of action in July over the pay award for 2008/09 and the joint statement with the LGA which followed them.
A number of important decisions were made at the meeting. They are explained in detail
below. The decisions were:
· Not to ask members to take any further industrial action in relation to this year’s pay
offer
· To refer this year’s pay offer to ACAS for binding arbitration.
· To approach this year’s pay offer, any review of the Green Book and pay for 2009/10 separately
· To submit a pay claim to the employers as soon as possible 2009/10
· To agree the Trade Union Side’s aims for any future review of the Green Book.
· To undertake an in-depth review within the NJC Committee of the negotiations and
events surrounding this year’s industrial action and to draw up plans to increase our
bargaining strength at local and national level.
· To hold meetings of the full Joint Trade Union Side of the NJC on 1 October and
3 November
Three Joint Secretaries’ meetings have been held since the July action. UNISON and UNITE have consistently pushed the employers to resolve the outstanding pay dispute and this was the first point included in the framework for the negotiations, which was agreed after the second meeting.
Unfortunately the employers claim that there is no pressure on them to increased their final offer of 2.45% and 3.3% for those on scale points 4,5and 6—either from individual local authorities, the
Local Government Association or the Government. The joint Trade Union Side of the NJC
Executive therefore met to take stock of this situation on 10 September and to consider the unions’ aims for any review of the Green Book which might take place in the future. The 2007/8 pay
settlement included such a review.
The Trade Union Side recognised that members need and deserve a pay increase as soon as possible. With no apparent prospect of an improved offer, there was therefore a unanimous decision by all three unions—including the GMB—to recommend to their respective national committees that the matter be referred to the Arbitration and Conciliation Service (ACAS) for binding arbitration. The national agreement—the Green Book— provides for either side of the NJC to do this and we believe that the employers will not stand in our way
NJC Committee's recommendations
The NJC Committee—UNISON’s lay committee—with representatives from each Region,
considered a lengthy report from the negotiators on 18 September and also looked in detail at the results of the consultation on members’ views over further industrial action, which it
requested at its last meeting. With few exceptions, branches responding said that members were not willing to take further action—either ‘all out’ or selective. The Committee therefore decided not to call for further action and to accept the recommendation of the Trade Union Side and seek binding arbitration.
UNISON’s NJC Committee met on 18 September to review progress in the
negotiations which have followed the two days of action in July over the pay award for 2008/09 and the joint statement with the LGA which followed them.
A number of important decisions were made at the meeting. They are explained in detail
below. The decisions were:
· Not to ask members to take any further industrial action in relation to this year’s pay
offer
· To refer this year’s pay offer to ACAS for binding arbitration.
· To approach this year’s pay offer, any review of the Green Book and pay for 2009/10 separately
· To submit a pay claim to the employers as soon as possible 2009/10
· To agree the Trade Union Side’s aims for any future review of the Green Book.
· To undertake an in-depth review within the NJC Committee of the negotiations and
events surrounding this year’s industrial action and to draw up plans to increase our
bargaining strength at local and national level.
· To hold meetings of the full Joint Trade Union Side of the NJC on 1 October and
3 November
Three Joint Secretaries’ meetings have been held since the July action. UNISON and UNITE have consistently pushed the employers to resolve the outstanding pay dispute and this was the first point included in the framework for the negotiations, which was agreed after the second meeting.
Unfortunately the employers claim that there is no pressure on them to increased their final offer of 2.45% and 3.3% for those on scale points 4,5and 6—either from individual local authorities, the
Local Government Association or the Government. The joint Trade Union Side of the NJC
Executive therefore met to take stock of this situation on 10 September and to consider the unions’ aims for any review of the Green Book which might take place in the future. The 2007/8 pay
settlement included such a review.
The Trade Union Side recognised that members need and deserve a pay increase as soon as possible. With no apparent prospect of an improved offer, there was therefore a unanimous decision by all three unions—including the GMB—to recommend to their respective national committees that the matter be referred to the Arbitration and Conciliation Service (ACAS) for binding arbitration. The national agreement—the Green Book— provides for either side of the NJC to do this and we believe that the employers will not stand in our way
NJC Committee's recommendations
The NJC Committee—UNISON’s lay committee—with representatives from each Region,
considered a lengthy report from the negotiators on 18 September and also looked in detail at the results of the consultation on members’ views over further industrial action, which it
requested at its last meeting. With few exceptions, branches responding said that members were not willing to take further action—either ‘all out’ or selective. The Committee therefore decided not to call for further action and to accept the recommendation of the Trade Union Side and seek binding arbitration.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)